Ikiru Page #6

as you outline in your proposal.

No, this proposal is just a...

I understand.

I'll take my time

and go over it thoroughly.

But the thing is, ultimately,

the parks' section chief

caved in to his peculiar determination.

You've got a point there.

Our section chief gave in, too.

He was something.

Watanabe waited days

for the answer he wanted.

Our section chief used to

sneak around, trying to avoid him.

That's right.

Engineering Section Chief,

Section Chief.

Couldn't believe he stooped

to flattering peons like me.

Won't you please...

Isn't there a way...

Finally, we took pity on him.

That's right. In the end

we all took pity on him.

But, hey, you guys in Administration,

you were the worst of all.

That's not...

No, I always went with him,

so I know.

You made us beg for two weeks.

How could I forget?

I'm sorry.

But then, remember that shocker?

Yeah, what a shocker.

DEPUTY MAYOR'S OFFICE

But you know

what was even more shocking?

The thing with the deputy mayor?

I heard, I heard.

What a shock.

A lowly section chief

openly defying the deputy mayor.

Made history at City Hall.

About that new park.

It's one thing to show initiative,

but you don't want people to think

of you as self-aggrandizing.

And the City Council's got

problems of its own.

I think it's best you give up

that proposal.

Last night, we were treated

to a geisha party.

Man, geisha these days

are appalling.

One of 'em spent the whole evening

sulking and clammed up.

The madam said she was

a student, a moonlighter.

That's a laugh.

Won't you please...

reconsider this proposal...

What did you just say?

Yes.

Um...

About that park,

won't you reconsider your decision?

But the thing is,

when you think back, was it worth

his taking it that far?

He was crazy.

It's just that in City Hall

everyone's guarding his own turf.

But after that, the deputy mayor

did reconsider. So...

No, because the City Council rode him.

Coincidence, in other words.

It's too sentimental to attribute it all

to Watanabe-san's dedication.

Sentimental...

Is that so?

I don't see it that way.

The point is, the world is a dark place

if his dedication was pointless.

It is a dark place.

First of all,

just the sight of Watanabe-san.

It was like

he kept himself going

with nothing but work.

Wasn't that how it seemed?

Sometimes he even

gave me the chills.

When was that? I was...

It reminds me of seeing him

at that construction site.

How can I put it?

The way he gazed out over the site,

like a father or grandfather

tenderly watching a favorite child...

Of course it was.

Because Watanabe-san

cherished that park.

So, in that case...

It's exactly what I told you before.

Whatever anyone may say,

Watanabe-san built it...

But if the City Council and deputy

mayor hadn't been facing an election,

they'd have ditched the proposal.

Watanabe-san had nothing to do

with the crucial decisions.

No, that's not actually true.

- Oh, really?

- Really.

The folks who wanted

that restaurant row

hated having Watanabe

in their way. The thing is...

Section Chief.

- Hey, you Section Chief of Public Affairs?

- Yes.

Just the man I wanted to see.

Old man, you keep your fat trap shut.

What on earth are you trying to...

Don't f*** with me.

No hard feelings.

Just shut up and back down.

Hey, say something.

You're risking your life.

This is him, Watanabe.

I just don't get it.

Why would anyone like him just...

I just don't...

No. Watanabe-san knew

he had stomach cancer. I'm positive.

But...

I just suddenly remembered...

This is just inexcusable.

We've been at this for two weeks.

At least they could tell us

whether or not the funds are there.

Administration's just cruel.

They'll allocate the funds anyway.

It's not their personal money.

Now, now, there.

But doesn't it make you furious

when they walk all over you this way?

No.

I can't afford to hate people.

I haven't got that kind of time.

Meaning...

Say. Speaking of that...

I've got another one like that.

How beautiful.

How truly beautiful.

In the last 30 years,

I'd all but forgotten about sunsets.

But I haven't got time for this now.

Thought so.

Now I see.

Knowing he didn't have

long left to live...

It makes everything clear as day.

Otherwise, it makes no...

Well, that explains his extraordinary

passion and his outrageous behavior.

How else could he have been?

Absolutely.

We'd have done the same.

But any one of us

could suddenly drop dead.

Listen here.

Hey, Section Chief.

I mean you, the newly appointed

Public Affairs Section Chief.

Don't you hear me?

I haven't been promoted yet.

Hey!

Ohno!

- Cut it out.

What the hell did you just say?

"We would've done it, too?"

Don't make me laugh.

- Hey, cut it out.

You couldn't have done

what Watanabe-san did.

Make me laugh.

Say, Ohara-san...

The thing is...

I may look like this...

- I only graduated middle school...

- Watanabe-san...

So I'll never make section chief

in my life...

Compared to Watanabe-san,

we've all just...

We're just worthless scum.

Hey, you a**holes, too...

Why, that's...

That's right, we're all scum.

But some of us were okay

when we started out at City Hall.

But the longer you stay...

Even I didn't used to be like...

You're not supposed to do

anything there.

Doing anything but nothing

is radical.

We have to act like we're

doing something but do nothing.

- That's right.

- That's exactly right.

The thing is,

in order to clean up a garbage can

somewhere,

you need a garbage can

full of paperwork.

That's exactly right.

That's just an excuse.

We're robbing people of valuable time.

The public's upset by bribes

and 40,000 cars and so on,

but those are just farts next to this

invisible, colossal waste of time.

Now you listen here.

I worry about these things, too.

But the thing is, inside that

complex system, it's impossible.

Besides, there's never time

to think in there.

Idiots!

No, but the thing is,

Ohara-san,

even within a system

where you can't get a thing done,

and battling stomach cancer at that,

Watanabe-san managed

to accomplish so much.

That's it.

That's what I'm trying to say.

That's why I get so angry.

That's what I'm saying.

That Watanabe-san,

with no expectations...

Exactly. When you remember

how Watanabe-san staked his life...

Who dares claim his achievements!

The deputy mayor.

Spit it out!

That's going too far.

Listen.

How do you think he felt

dying all alone in that park?

Just thinking about it...

A policeman brought this.

He said he'd found it in the park.

And he really wants

to light incense for the deceased.

Thank you for taking the trouble.

Come in.

You don't have to go.

Thank you for your trouble.

Let me pour you one.

Actually, I...

Last night, I was

on patrol in the new park

when I met him.

It was 10:
00 o'clock... no.

Nearly 11:
00.

He was on the swing,

and what with all that snow,

I just assumed

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